New Beginnings
by QuietDisconnect
Summary: *Sequel to "The Right One".* "It is Stewie's 18th birthday.However, after not receiving a call from Brian, whom he had not seen in seventeen years, he decides to set off to make a new life for himself. But how will he react when it doesn't go quite as he planned?" Rated M for sexual content later in the story. Human Brian. Adult Stewie. Many chapters to come!
1. The Forgotten One

CHAPTER ONE

Stewart Gilligan Griffin awoke in the harsh light of morning. He heard the sounds of birds chirping outside and the sound of a television playing loudly downstairs. He groaned as he slowly sat up in his bed. The uncomfortable metal springs squeaked in response to the movement. He could smell the aroma of coffee and pancakes as he placed his feet onto the carpeted floor of his bedroom.  
As he drowsily made his way into the upstairs bathroom to brush his teeth, he felt the common feeling of just an ordinary day in the Griffin household. His mother Lois was undoubtedly downstairs preparing breakfast. His sibling Chris was most likely sitting on the couch watching TV with his father Peter. Nothing really felt much different about this day. _What a surprise._He thought as he washed out his toothbrush. He went back into his room to get dressed. He pulled on his dark blue jeans and his plain black t-shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. His auburn hair had grown to the point where the bangs were in his eyes. As much as an annoyance it tended to be sometimes, he liked it.  
Stewie sighed as he exited his bedroom and made his way downstairs. As he guessed earlier, Lois was in the kitchen and the rest of the family were perched on the couch watching the morning news. He entered the kitchen and poured himself a coffee. His mother looked up from her cooking to acknowledge her son, "Good morning, sweetie." The red headed woman greeted. "Happy birthday."

Stewie did nothing but grunt in response. Yes, today was his eighteenth birthday. Most teenagers would be overjoyed at this day. The day they were finally considered an adult. The only thing Stewie got out of it was the fact he could now buy his own cigarettes instead of relying on other people to do it for him. Other than that, this was just a plain old Wednesday for him. There used to be something special about this day to him. This would be the day that Brian would call him. However, he doubted that would happen. It had been almost seventeen years since he had last seen or heard from the ex-canine. He could barely even remember the man's face as he had only truly seen it once. Stewie scowled as he bitterly recalled that day.  
Stewie had finally succeeded in winning Brian over. They were so happy together. Stewie's life was almost perfect. When he was still a boy, Stewie had built a machine that extended Brian's life to where he stayed 21 until Stewie's 18th birthday. Then he would age like a normal human. Which Stewie had also made him a human. The teenager recalled being awestruck by how attractive Brian was as a human. He was so happy; that is until Lois walked in on them while they were kissing. She flipped out, and ordered Brian to leave and never come back. Then she found out about Stewie's secret lab and destroyed it.  
Stewie's life was ruined after that day. Everything that he lived for was gone. Since that day, Stewie had distanced himself from Lois and the rest of the family. He graduated high school early and currently had a job at a nearby grocery store. He constantly begged for as many hours as they could give him; not only because he wanted to be away from home as much as possible, but also because he was saving money to move out.  
He couldn't stand being in the presence of anyone in that family. Especially his..._mother._She was the main source of all his hatred. She took everything away from him and all through the years, tried to act as if it had never happened. Stewie didn't forget, though; and she knew this. Still she brushed off his rudeness and obvious resentment towards her. This just pissed Stewie off even more. Eventually, he got to the point to where he barely spoke to her. When he was home, he stayed in his room most of the time. Save for the occasional times he would go downstairs to get something to eat or smoke a cigarette.  
He wanted out. He wanted to move as far away from this place as he could. To never see or think of their faces again. He wanted nothing more to do with the family that deprived him of his happiness. New York City was the most logical choice for him to move to. He wanted a career in acting and Broadway was the place he wanted to be. _Soon._ He thought. _Just another week and I'll have more than enough money to get out of this place._  
Even though this day did not excite Stewie as much as he thought it would. He still had a small flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, he would get a call from Brian. The ex-canine would inform him of his location, and Stewie would leave all of this behind to see him. Even though this was the original plan, Stewie just didn't think it would happen. It seemed like a fantasy anymore, like Brian never existed. As if he was, all along, just a figment of Stewie's avid imagination. An imaginary friend.  
_It was so many years ago. Who's to say he even remembers me, let alone even wants me still. He's probably living it up, having the time of his life wherever he is now.  
_ Stewie sighed as he settled himself down at the kitchen table and took a small sip of his coffee. As much as he wanted to be in his room right now, he knew Lois would throw a fit if he brought coffee into his room. She was always so strict on having food in bedrooms. So, instead, he had to sit at the table...in the same room as her.  
"So," Lois began. "Do you have any ideas what you want for your birthday dinner?"

Stewie snorted, "To be honest, I don't even want one." He knew he didn't need to be so hostile towards her. She was attempting to be nice. But he couldn't stand acting like he was on good terms with his mother.

Lois sighed as she poured some more pancake batter onto the pan. "Come on, Stewie. It's your eighteenth birthday! We need to celebrate!"

"What's to celebrate?" Stewie inquired in a cross tone. "Woo hoo, another year I'm alive!" He threw his arms in the air in mock excitement.

Lois' eyes shot daggers at the teen as she said, "Fine. I guess hamburgers will do."

Stewie gulped down the rest of his coffee. "Whatever you think is best, _Lois._" He quickly rose out of his chair and left the room.  
He stepped out onto the front porch and lit up a cigarette. He took a long drag from it and inhaled deeply. _I swear if it weren't for these things, I would have burnt this house down ages ago.  
_ Why did she have to pretend everything was fine? He didn't want a damned party. Why should he celebrate life when he wasn't happy with his own? He took one last puff from his cigarette and went back inside.  
He didn't acknowledge anyone else in the house as he walked past them and marched up the stairs and into his room. Once inside, he collapsed onto his bed and begged for sleep to come. He just wanted to escape the world he lived in. When his consciousness remained unwavering, he grumbled as he sat up. He noticed the telephone sitting in the corner of his room. Being as he had his own cell phone, he never used it. He still liked to keep it there just for this day. He waited for years for that phone call from Brian. Now, that day was here. _Maybe he will call._Stewie thought with hope. Screw it, what else did he have to do today? He pulled a chair up beside the phone. He sat down and waited.

* * *

It was 8pm. Other than the awkward birthday dinner that he was forced to attend downstairs, he had done nothing but wait for Brian's phone call. _It's hopeless._Stewie thought as he rested his head in his hands. He decided to give up and went over to lay on his bed. He reached over and turned off the light and laid on his back. Stewie closed his eyes, and tried to sleep. No matter how hard he tried, however, he couldn't push out the thought of Brian.  
The ex-canine never left Stewie's thoughts; but he learned over the years how to cope with the pain. Tonight, however, those thoughts were taking over. _Why can't I just forget about him and move on? For god's sake, it's been seventeen years! He's forgotten about you, Stewie. Why can't you just do the same?  
_ Stewie sighed as he turned over. _All my life, I have loved him. All this time, I have spent miserable without him; hoping one day, he will return and we'll be together again. What a fool, I've been.  
_ Stewie did everything he could to block out the thoughts. Tears eventually made their way down his cheeks. _Damn it!_He thought bitterly. _I'm fucking crying over a dog I lost when I was a fucking baby! How pathetic.  
_Even though he was angry at himself for weeping over a hopeless dream, he could not suppress the tears as sleep finally took him.

_

The following day he decided that maybe Brian just forgot about his birthday; and that maybe he'll call then instead. So he spent another day simply waiting by his phone. Another two hours went by. He had skipped breakfast, and he could feel his stomach begin to growl. He also felt the effects of withdrawal for not having a cigarette that day. He just didn't care. All he was worried about was that phone call. He _needed_ it. If there was anything out there that could save his life, this was it.  
He heard a light knock on his bedroom door. "Stewie, honey, can I come in?" It was Lois...great.

When the teen didn't respond, she took her own initiative and opened the door. She gazed upon the sight of her son with a look of pity. "Stewie, what are you doing? You skipped breakfast and I haven't seen you all morning."

Stewie didn't respond and she slowly stepped toward him. "Stewie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Stewie finally responded. "I just want to be alone, right now."

"How long have you been sitting there?" Lois asked.

"Since I woke up."

Lois gave him a look of confusion until she seen the telephone beside him. "Who are yo-" She paused as the realization hit her. "Please don't tell me, you're waiting on _him_ to call you."

"Oh! So you do have some intelligence. Well done!" Stewie knew she was going to get angry, but he was at the point to where he did not care.

Lois's eyes burned into his. "I can't believe this." She began. "After all this time, you still expect him to call you. He doesn't care about you Stewie! When are you going to see that? All he has ever cared about is himself. He _used_ you for his own sexual needs! What? Now that you're eighteen, you expect he'll just call you so you two can meet up and live happily ever after? It's never going to happen, son. I hate to tell you, but it's true. Brian is never coming back!"

The words hit Stewie like arrows. He jumped out of his seat, and Lois knew she had pushed the wrong button. "Fuck _you!"_he screamed. "How dare you try and take away the only thing I have left of him!"

Lois' voice calmed as she spoke, "Stewie. Please, stop beating yourself up with this. Move on, there are plenty of other guys around here that are gay. Guys who would treat you better than Brian ever could. He's not coming back, honey. He's off living his own life somewhere. What he did to you back then is unforgivable, and I know he did emotional damage to you. I'm sorry it happened, Stewie; and if you want, I can arrange some therapy sessions that will-"

Stewie interrupted, "Shut the fuck up!" When Lois fell silent with a look of shock on his face, he began pacing around the room. "Now that you've gotten your little assumptions off your chest, let me tell you how _I_ feel! He loved me, Lois. I know he did. He took care of me, and he did everything he could to make me happy. He was my best friend..." He began to break into sobs, but attempted to suppress them to glare at Lois, "We were happy! Then you came in and took him and everything I lived for away from me."

Lois' eyes were beginning to water, "I was trying to protect you!"

"HA! Protect me!" Stewie scoffed. "You were an absolute shit mother, and the one time I _didn't_ need you is when you decide you should step up and be a parent? Fuck you! I have spent seventeen years living in this hell hole putting up with you and the rest of those insufferable morons. Biting my tongue whenever you do so much as speak to me. Seventeen years, living depressed and alone, hating my own life because you destroyed everything that gave it meaning! The worst part is, you didn't even notice! Or pretended not to notice. Hell I don't know which is worse!"

Lois was speechless. She obviously had no idea her own son had so much hate against her. "St-Stewie, I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Stewie's voice was like acid. "Taking away the only person that actually gave a shit about me, or the fact that I have despised you since the day I was born?"

Tears had soaked through parts of his mother's shirt now, "Stewie, I-"

"Save it, _Lois."_ he hissed. It won't fix anything. No, you ruined that the day you took everything away from me. You are no mother to me. You never will be."

Stewie quickly went around in his room gathering as many belongings as could and fitting them into a small book bag of which he threw over his shoulder. The entire time, Lois sat on her knees, staring off at something Stewie didn't care to see. I'm leaving." he announced. He paused and laughed hysterically. "Wow! You have no fucking idea how long I have waited to tell you that!"

Lois broke out of her trance to look at her son, "Stewie, I-I'm sorry...for everything. You don't have to leave. I-"

Stewie interrupted once more. "Oh but I do! If I am ever to be happy, the first thing I have to do is leave this place behind." He began to make his way toward the door. "Goodbye, Lois. This will be the last time you will ever see me. My only wish is for you to die wishing you could have changed what happened all those years ago. Maybe then you would have a son that could have actually loved you."

This caused his mother to break into sobs. He paid no mind to it as he closed his door. He hurried downstairs, not saying a word as he passed by Chris and Peter as they sat on the couch watching TV, completely oblivious as to what just happened upstairs. He stepped out the front door and began walking down the street.

_

As Stewie continued to walk on the side of the highway leading out of Quahog, he began to think about what had happened just two hours earlier. He finally let all of the anger and hatred he felt for his mother out on her and left the Griffin house for good. He should have felt bad, but he didn't. He hadn't felt this happy in years! He was finally free of those uncaring fools he called his family. Now he had but one place to go.  
He wiped the last tear he would shed over them from his eye as he smiled and whispered, "New York, here I come."****

**Hey, everyone. Well, I wanted to talk a little bit about Stewie's character in this. Over the years, Stewie's depression and sense of abandonment has left him very emotionally damaged. His hatred he felt all those years for Lois also ate at him as well. Can you imagine living with someone who you think took everything you had to live for away? So yes, Stewie has changed a lot since "The Right One". Now some of you may not like the angst in this, but it was a necessary evil. It doesn't end here either, I'm afraid. Now that Stewie is free from** **the Griffins, he has to slowly repair what they and Brian have broken inside him. So the depression, and the blowing up on Lois were all things that needed to be done to attempt to rebuild his character's happiness. Waiting for someone you love for seventeen years really takes a lot out of someone. Anyways, Chapter 2 will be on here next Sunday. Be sure to keep a look out!**

**Regards,  
Austin  
DawnAscendance**


	2. Road To New York

CHAPTER TWO

His legs hurt. Hell, his entire body hurt. He had been walking all day, and he still had yet to get anything to eat. He didn't want to stop, though. No matter how much his body screamed for a break, he continued to walk.  
He had made it to the highway leading out of Quahog. It took him an entire day for him to get to that. How long was it going to take to get to New York? A week, three weeks? A month? He paused suddenly when he saw something in front of him. A hauntingly familiar figure dressed in a white shirt with a red tie. The white-blond hair that laid evenly on the man's head told Stewie it was but one person...Brian.  
He knew the figure wasn't real, so why was he running up to it? As he got closer to "Brian", the figure began to fade away. By the time he had reached the spot where he had seen it, Brian was gone. Stewie stopped, out of breath, and leaned against a guard rail. _Great._He thought. _Now I'm actually having hallucinations about him. I must_ _be crazy.  
_ He sat against the guard rail, catching his breath and allowing his legs to have a small break. _Fuck this._He thought. _There's no way I can make it to New York. Not without a ride._He sat up and stuck out his thumb. Car after car passed by, giving the teen no notice whatsoever. He sighed as he continued to walk with his thumb out. _Please, I just need a ride.  
_ Suddenly, a small blue car slowed and Stewie instantly recognized it. The car pulled off to the side of the road and came to a stop. Stewie jogged over to the passenger side window as it rolled down to reveal Meg.

"Stewie, what the hell are you doing?" She asked him in shock.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." he answered. "Meg, is there any way you could give me a ride to New York. I'll pay you whatever you need."

"New York?! Why the hell are you wanting to go to New York?"

Stewie sighed, "Because I want out of here."

Meg studied his expression, attempting to get a read on his face. Eventually she gave up and unlocked her door. "Get in."

Stewie obliged and she pulled back onto the road. "Well before we go anywhere, we're going to stop somewhere and eat. I didn't have my lunch today." Meg stated.

"That sounds fine with me." Stewie replied.

_

They ended up stopping at a diner just outside of Quahog. As they both sat there and tried to decide what they wanted to eat, Stewie couldn't help but be impressed with how much better Meg looked than the last time he had seen her.  
A couple of years ago, Meg had eventually became fed up with the way her family treated her and, in a much more civil way, left the family just as Stewie did. He'd heard word of her opening her own coffee and doughnut shop and that it was quite successful around the area.  
Not only had she shed the weight she had when she was younger, leaving her looking surprisingly attractive; she also looked much happier. As if her former awkward and depressive self was a thing of the past.  
Meg was the only person in that house that Stewie actually grew to like. Most of that was because they both shared the same resentment for their family; but also because they understood each other. He missed having someone around like that, and he was glad it was her who stopped to pick him up.  
Meg lowered her menu to look at the teenager, "So, are you going to tell me why you are wanting to go to New York?"

Stewie sighed, "It's something I want to do. I need to get away from this place and start a life of my own. New York City is where I can start."

"To get into acting?"

Stewie nodded, "Exactly."

Meg stared at him quizzically. "Why didn't you ask mom or dad to take you or something?"

"Are you kidding me?" Stewie laughed. "From what I told Lois before I left, I doubt they'd do anything for me. Nor would I want them to."

"Told her what?"

"How I felt about them all these years." Stewie answered matter of factly. "I told her she took away Brian, the person that gave me something to live for. Therefore she was no mother to me."

Despite Lois being her mother, Meg couldn't help but smile. "Really? How'd she take it?"

"Not well."

Meg chuckled, "I wish I had the courage to tell her those things. After all the hell she and everyone else put us through, I think she deserved it."

"Yes, well I think she now sees the mistakes she's made over the years."

"Yeah." Meg agreed. "So what about Brian?"

Stewie frowned at her mentioning of the name. "What about him?"

"Did he ever call you?"

Stewie sighed as he propped his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. "No." he grumbled. "He didn't."

Meg reached across the table and took her brother's hand. "I'm sorry, Stewie. I know you were looking forward to that."

"All my life, I've waited." he whispered.

"I know." Meg replied. "Maybe you'll find him someday."

"What's the point?" Stewie sniffed. "He obviously doesn't care about me anymore."

"You don't know that for sure, Stewie. Just have some faith."

Stewie lifted his head and smiled at his sister. "Thanks, Meg."

Meg smiled and nodded.

_

After their meal, they stopped at the bank so Stewie could withdraw the money he's had saved. He counted over $4000. Should be more than enough to get him started. Stewie settled himself in his seat in an attempt to make himself comfortable. They had a three hour drive ahead of them.  
Meg was talking about her coffee shop and how successful it became over the years. Stewie couldn't lie to himself, he considered just staying and working with her. It wouldn't be too bad. He got along with Meg well and he could get an apartment in Quahog. Yes it was something he could do. _But how happy would I truly be?_ he asked himself. He knew the answer was not enough, so he didn't bother asking Meg about it.  
Over the course of the drive, they talked about when they both lived at the Griffin's house. How they both suffered endlessly over the years of living there. As much as the family seemed stable and loving on the outside, and no matter how much the Griffins wanted to believe that. They were always destined to fall apart. With Peter and Lois being uncaring parents at best, and their kids all fucked up in their own ways. They were never going to last. Now, Lois and Peter only have Chris left. Everyone else in that family either was kicked out just for loving someone, or were the smart ones and left on their own accord. Stewie imagined how Lois must be feeling right now. He was actually quite surprised he hadn't tried calling him to apologize or make sure he was okay. _Then again, I'm not._He thought. Lois never was as caring and thoughtful as she made herself out to be.  
Though there were mostly bad events that happened at their old home, they also talked and laughed at some of the few good moments they shared. It was actually quite nice just sitting and talking to someone. He hadn't done that in years. Meg was the only person he could talk to about anything. At least that he could reach.  
They were currently laughing about the time when Peter decided to try stunt driving and attempted to ramp over a line of parked cars. Instead, he wrecked and lost his license, and Meg had to be his chauffeur for a while. Once the laughing slowly died down, Meg turned her head briefly to look at Stewie. "You know, you don't have to do this, Stewie." She began. "I hope you realize that you will always have a place in my home, and I could even bring you on at the coffee shop as a manager. You don't have to run around New York trying to find meaning."

Stewie smiled. "Thanks, Meg, but we both know I have to do this."

Meg looked back onto the road. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Meg hesitated. "St-Stewie...are you sure you're doing this just because you want to act?"

Stewie turned his head towards her in confusion. "I don't quite know what you mean."

"Well, all I'm saying is that if Brian were to move anywhere, it would be New York City. You know how much he loved to write, and New York would be the place to start a career in it."

Stewie stared at her in silence as she continued. "I'm not trying to assume, Stewie; but if that is the case, just promise me you'll be careful. In cities like New York, you don't always find what you're looking for. In fact, it's known to be quite the opposite."

Stewie looked down at his knees. He never really thought about this. Maybe a part of the reason why he was doing this _was_ to try and find Brian. Maybe a part of him hoped he would just run into him walking down the street. New York would be a likely place Brian would go, so Meg did have a point.

"I don't know, Meg." he responded quietly. "Maybe I am. Who knows anymore."

Meg glanced at him, a hint of worry in her voice as she said, "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Stewie appreciated his sister's concern. After all, it's not like he received much of it back home. "I will." he replied.

_

Stewie felt a hand prod him in the side. He jumped awake and sat up in his seat.

"Hey, sleepy head. We're here."

Stewie looked around. All he saw were large skyscrapers, then traffic as far as the eye could see. He couldn't suppress the smile that quickly spread across his face. _This is where I'm going to start anew._He thought.

"Is there a hotel I can drop you off at, or something?" he heard Meg ask.

He didn't take his eyes off of his surroundings as he answered, "N-no. Just pull off here." he pointed to a few parking spots available to the right.

Meg obliged and shifted the car in park. She turned toward her little brother and smiled. "Well, here we are."

Stewie went to reach into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet. Meg put her hand on his arm in an attempt to stop him. He paused and looked at her in confusion. "No payment necessary." She said.

"But you drove me all this wa-"

"The least I could do for my little brother."

Stewie smiled warmly and reached to pull his sister into a hug. She returned the gesture, then slowly pulled away. "Good luck, Stewie; and take care of yourself. Be sure to call me whenever you get settled."

"I will Meg." Stewie replied. "Thank you so much...for everything."

He opened the car door and stepped out. As he shut the door, Meg waved goodbye. He did so as well, and she slowly pulled away. Stewie watched her go with a sad feeling that it would probably be a very long time before he would be able to see her again. He slung his bag over his head and began walking down the street. He took in his surroundings and took a deep breath. _So this is what it feels like to be in New York City._He thought with excitement.  
He continued to walk down the sidewalk until he came by some newspaper stands. He grabbed a small map and unfolded it. He looked at the legend off to the side for any kind of Broadway Theater. He found one, but it was four miles away. He slipped the map into his pocket and hailed an incoming taxi. He got in the car and informed the driver of his destination. "Ah." The driver exclaimed in a heavy New York accent. "Going to try and get on as an actor?"

"Actually, yes." Stewie replied beaming. "I came a long way to do it too."

"Where ya coming from?"

"Quahog, Rhode Island."

"Rhode Island." The driver repeated. "You did come a little ways."

About forty minutes later, they arrived. Stewie paid and thanked the driver. He got out of the car and gazed upon the large building that stood before him. "So this is Broadway." he murmured to himself. He stood there in a trance for a good five minutes before coming back to his senses.  
He didn't even know what to do. _Do I even come here to audition?And what will they say? What do I do to audition? Oh god, now I'm freaking out._He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. He partially regained his composure and wandered into the building.

_

Stewie dragged his feet along the edge of the sidewalk. They didn't want him. He auditioned for three different theaters and all of them told him that he wasn't what they were looking for. _In other words, I suck._He thought miserably to himself.  
Stewie sighed as he trekked along the many businesses that sat along the side of him. He considered just finding a hotel and staying there until he could sum up enough money to get himself an apartment. What was the point, though. No theater wanted him, that was the only reason why he even came to New York.  
Stewie was so lost in thought, he didn't hear footsteps quickly coming up from behind him. He suddenly lurched forward as a man bumped into him. "Excuse me!" the man spoke quickly, and continued to run off at a fast pace. Stewie was suspicious as he had heard of how people got robbed all the time in New York, so ran his hand along his back pocket. It was empty. _Fuck!  
_ "Wait!" Stewie shouted desperately. "Someone stop that man! I've been robbed!"

A few people looked on but did nothing. Stewie attempted to run after the man, but he was too far behind. The thief was long from his sight. Stewie gave up and sat on the edge of the sidewalk. He buried his face in his knees as he thought, _What do I do now? I have no money for anything. No place to stay, no food. No way back home.  
_ Stewie lifted his cell phone from his pocket and attempted to call Meg. He was answered with a message letting him know that his bill was past due.

"FUCK!" Stewie slammed the phone on the pavement in front of him, resulting in the phone breaking into many pieces. The teenager broke into sobs. He was screwed. Beyond screwed. _It was a mistake coming here._He thought hopelessly. He knew what was coming, and he didn't have the strength to stop it this time.

_Fuck it._

**Ooooh. What's he talking about? XD Yep, more angst in this chapter. Well, other than the Meg parts which I enjoyed writing for some reason. Maybe it's because I had a similar relationship with my own sister. Who knows. :P Anyways, the angst doesn't end here. Like I said before, Stewie needs to work out his problems with depression before he can truly be happy, so there's going to be a lot of parts like this in the next chapter or two. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed. As always, review, review review! Chapter Four will be released next Sunday!**

**Ah yes, please check out my LiveJournal for news on upcoming chapters and One Shots I have planned.**

**www . dawnascendance . livejournal . com**

***just take out the spaces***

**Regards,  
DawnAscendance  
Austin**


	3. Second Chance

CHAPTER THREE

He did not know how long he sat there. It had to have been a while because the sky had darkened and the moon was shining. Stewie paid no attention to how much time had passed, however. Instead he was sitting there, on that same sidewalk contemplating what he should do. _I have nowhere to go._He thought. Tears began to stream down his face as he knew he had nothing left. _How many times am I going to cry in one fucking day?_  
He could just find an alley way to sleep in for the night, but judging by how frigid it was right then, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. This was the end of the line. He had his chance to either make it or break it in life, and he failed. Now he had nothing. Just empty pockets and no one around who cared enough to help him.  
_Maybe I should just do it._He thought. He knew it would be the easiest way out, and it's not like he had anything to go back to. He thought about his life over the years, full of misery and loneliness. The only hope he had was Brian and this. Both were now gone. _There's nothing left for me to live for. Screw it. I'm doing it.  
_ Stewie jumped up from where he was sitting and briskly walked north. He pulled out his map to find where the nearest bridge was. When he saw there was one not too far from where he was, he decided that would be the place where he would finally put an end to his pain.

***********__

When he reached the bridge, there were barely any cars driving across. _Perfect._He wasted no time in climbing onto the railing and overlooked the water below. Stewie closed his eyes as the cold autumn wind blew through his hair. It would be the last time he would feel that. It would be the last time he would feel anything. No more pain. No more longing. No more anger. No more having his heart broken. This was it. The day he would finally take control of his life for once. As he thought about everything that happened in his life. All the times Brian had made it worth living. He thought of Brian's face as he prepared himself to jump. "I love you, Brian." he whispered.  
Suddenly, he heard the screeching of tires. He grasped onto the pole beside him and looked back to find a small red car pulled off onto the side of the road. The car door opened and a figure stepped out. Stewie ignored this and turned back to the water below. He heard footsteps behind him and a voice that said. "Hey, man. Whatever it is that is bothering you, this isn't the way to solve it."

The voice was calm, collected, soothing. Stewie snorted and continued to have his back turned to the stranger. "What do you know? There's nothing left for me! Therefore, I have no second thoughts of doing this."

"Then why haven't you jumped yet?"

Stewie's eyes widened. "What? I was about to jump before you pulled up."

He heard a sigh, "Look, just come down from there. I can help you. Whatever you need, we can work it out. I can't let you do this. Not when there's something I can do about it."

"What are you going to do?" Stewie implored. "The moment I hear you take a step towards me, I will jump!"

"Please, just come down. I promise, there is always a way out of this. Trust me, I've been down your road. I know what it's like. I also know, it's not the way to solve things. Look, just get off of that railing. You look young. Too young to be throwing your life away when you have so much ahead of you."

"I HAVE NOTHING AHEAD OF ME!" Stewie roared, tears coming again. "No one is here for me. No one will care once I'm gone. There is nothing left for me to live for!"

"I'm here for you." The man stated in a soft voice. "And I will most definitely care if you jump. Please, come down and talk to me for a minute. If I don't change your mind, you can jump. I won't stop you. Just give me a chance."

Whoever this man was, it seemed like he generally cared about Stewie's well being. Screw it. If the guy tried anything, all he would have to do is leap over the railing anyway. Anything to get this guy to fuck off.  
Stewie sighed as he slid off the railing and back onto the bridge. He turned around to face the man. He couldn't see him fully, because the headlights reflecting behind him, but something looked familiar about this guy. The man seemed frozen to the spot and looked like he was studying the teenager. Stewie was about to ask him what the hell his problem was before the man stammered, "S-Stewie?"

"I say, how do you know my name?" Stewie demanded.

The man stepped closer to where Stewie could make out his face. Stewie instantly recognized the face as the one belonging to someone he believed he would never see again.

"Brian?!"

Before Brian could say anything else, Stewie launched at him and slugged him in the cheek. Brian's head twisted from the impact and he collapsed on the ground. Stewie began walking away at a fast pace. _That son of a bitch!_ He didn't care that Brian was there, he wanted to get as far away from him as possible. All of this pain that Stewie went through and the fucking asshole was only three hours away in New York; and he didn't even think about finding a way to contact Stewie over the years. He wanted nothing more to do with Brian. No matter how many questions he had, he couldn't go back there. Not after this.

"Stewie, wait!"

Brian jogged up and Stewie paid no mind to him. He just kept walking, leaving Brian at his heels. "Stewie, please. Just wait."

Stewie whipped around, startling the ex-canine. "_What_ Brian. What could you possibly want?!"

Brian seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "I...h-how did you find me?"

Stewie scoffed, "Please, as if I came here to find _you._Fuck off, Brian."

Stewie went back to continue walking and Brian strolled beside him. "I'm sorry." he began. "I'm just shocked to find you here...and...grown up."

"What? Did you think I'd stay a baby all these years?" Stewie rolled his eyes. "No, I didn't come here for you, and it doesn't matter why I did. I would like you to leave, though."

"We haven't seen each other for so long and the moment we meet again you want me to leave?" Brian asked, with a hint of hurt in his voice.

"That's exactly what I want you to do!" Stewie's voice rose an octave as he said that. "I want _nothing to_ do with you!"

"Why?"

If there was a way for Stewie to blow steam out of his ears like in the cartoons, he would be doing it right now. "You have some fucking nerve to ask me that question! Get the fuck away from me or I'll throw _you off_ this bridge!"

Brian grabbed Stewie's arm and forced the teen to stop. "Stewie, please just talk to me. After all we went though, you could at least do that. For old time's sake."

Stewie didn't say any words, he simply waited for Brian to speak. "Do you have a place to stay, tonight?"

Stewie was about to lie and tell him yes, but he knew it would be stupid to do that. He lowered his head. "No."

"Good, you're staying with me, then."

Stewie jerked his head back up. "Didn't I just tell you I want nothing to do with you? What makes you think I would say yes."

"Because you have no other choice."

"Oh yes I do." Stewie turned his head in the direction of the railing. Brian followed his gaze and jerked the smaller man to face him again. "Don't even fucking think about it." he growled. "If you think I'm going to let you climb back up there, you've got another thing coming. Now come on, just get in the car and we can talk back at my apartment."

Stewie was about to argue, but he was too exhausted to say any more. He simply obliged and allowed Brian to wrap his arm around him as he walked the teen to the car. This was not how Stewie had planned this night to go.

* * *

**Apologies for the short chapter. This was strictly for one part of this. Once again, I know it's short, but Chapter Four will be much longer. To be honest, the past few chapters have been quite short compared to my first story. I'm sorry about that, I promise, they will get longer as the story progresses. There is just a lot going on in many different parts, and I just can't fit too much detail in there. Like I said, though, Chapter Four will be longer. As usual, expect CH4 to be released next Sunday. Please review!**

**Thanks,  
Dawn  
Austin**

****


	4. Lost And Found

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Alright, I'm back! Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Anyways, here's Chapter Four. Enjoy!**

Brian's apartment building looked like nothing special. It was decent compared to many of the other complexes that littered New York City, however, Stewie wasn't about to let the man know that. They both stood silent as the grave as the elevator slowly climbed floor after floor until they finally reached the 12th level. As the doors parted, Brian let out a breath as if he had been holding it the entire time. Brian led Stewie down a brightly lit hallway. Stewie stared at the man's back. _How in the hell is this happening?_he thought. _He's gone for seventeen years and when I'm about to off myself, he shows up out of nowhere? Now I'm following the person I have been waiting for my whole life to his apartment. This is too much.  
_ Brian halted in front of a door. Undoubtedly to his apartment. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. As Stewie followed him, he looked around. The apartment seemed quite open. A decently sized living room with a tan couch and chair sitting in front of a large flat screen television. Behind the couch was the counters that separated the kitchen. The apartment itself was actually pretty nice. Better than what Stewie was thinking it would be.  
Brian set his keys down at the dining room table sitting diagonal from the couch. He took a seat and motioned for Stewie to do the same. The teen obliged and cautiously sat down at the table. Brian grabbed a bottle of dry gin and began pouring it into a glass. His eyes darted up to the man sitting across from him as he asked, "You want a drink?"

Stewie rolled his eyes, "Do you even know how old I am anymore?"

"You're eighteen. Now do you want a drink or not?"

_So he does know my age. Did he forget he was supposed to call_ _me when I turned that age?_ Stewie stayed silent as he nodded. Brian poured him a glass and slid it over to him. Stewie gingerly took a sip of the drink, avoiding eye contact with Brian the entire time.  
Brian cleared his throat. "So, do you mind telling me what the hell you were doing earlier?"

Stewie scoffed, "You know what I was doing earlier, _Dog."_he made sure to emphasize the word dog.

"But why?"

Stewie glanced over to the man and noticed he had a scolding look on his face. _What? He hasn't seen me for all this time, and now he expects me to open up for his judgmental comments just like before? Like him abandoning me never even happened?_Stewie rolled his eyes at the thought. "I think that's none of your business. Personally I don't care to be talking about any of my issues with you. In fact, I plan on leaving in the morning."

"To do what?"

Stewie's ears burned. "Once again, you flea bitten mongrel, that's none of your concern! I'm not some fucking toddler you have to watch out for anymore. I can take care of myself!"

"Obviously not."

Stewie couldn't find any words to retaliate with, so he remained silent as Brian continued. "Stewie, look. I know we haven't seen each other for a long time, but if you think I am going to let you go out there by yourself after that stunt you pulled, you've got another thing coming. Now, how about we sit here like adults and talk about this? Like, why do you happen to be in New York with no place to stay?"

Stewie looked down. Being stubborn was getting him nowhere. "I came here to try and get on Broadway in acting. I didn't get in anywhere, and some thief stole my wallet."

"What about Lois and Peter? Do they know where you've gone?"

Stewie's eyes shot up, anger returning to them as he said, "Jesus Christ, Brian! I am not a fucking child! For your information, I told Lois to fuck off and that I was never going to see her again, and left to come here. Meg drove me. Is there anything else you want to fucking know, dog?"

Brian sighed as he took another drink of his gin. Stewie had plenty of reason to be hostile towards Brian. Hell, he had plenty of reason to hate the man. However, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at the defeated look Brian was giving him. Brian hesitated before he returned his gaze toward Stewie. "Look, I know you don't want to be here. In a way, I don't blame you, kid. I have to work in the morning, so I technically can't stop you from leaving. So if you do, I just have one favor to ask. I know you don't owe me anything, Stewie, but just hear me out, okay?"

Stewie, who was about to retort on Brian's asking for a favor, paused and nodded slowly. Brian continued, "Just promise me, you won't try that again, okay. The last thing I want to see is your face on the news. If you decide to stay for a while, we can talk more when I get back. You know, catch up on things. You sure as hell look different than the last time I saw you." he gave a slight grin before adding, "And it seems like your anger hasn't improved at all either."

Stewie rolled his eyes. Brian held up a hand to signify it was a lighthearted statement. "Anyways, I need to go to bed if I am to get up on time tomorrow. You can have the guest bedroom. All the way down the hall to the left. I hope you find it suitable."

Brian rose from his seat and stretched. Stewie stood as well. "Where do you work, Brian?"

Brian shrugged, "New York Times. Good night, Stewie." He turned and walked off to enter his bedroom.

Stewie sighed. _Well this has been a hell of a night._ He took one last look around the apartment before heading down the hall and opening the door to the guest room. The room was small; and the only thing that occupied the space was a dresser, a full size bed, and a small nightstand beside it. A window sat behind the bed facing the city outside. Stewie didn't pay much mind to his surroundings as he placed his bag on the dresser and collapsed onto the bed.  
_So Brian works at the New York Times, I should have guessed that much._Though, he wanted to think the job as nothing special, he couldn't help but admire the fact that the man could actually find a job there. Not many writers could land a position there. Stewie shook his head in an attempt to clear the thoughts. _What the hell am I doing? Why should I care what he does for a living?  
_He let out a long sigh as he laid there. To be honest, Stewie didn't know _what_ to think about the situation. He hadn't seen Brian in seventeen years, and now, all of a sudden he appears back in his life; and deep down, it seemed as if he never left. It took everything within Stewie not to just revert back to their old ways. Act as if this had never happened. As much as Stewie secretly wanted that, he didn't think anything like that would ever happen again. _It has been too long; and I don't know if I'll ever let down my walls to let him in ever again.  
_ Stewie became saddened by this. To think that Brian was here and how it was if nothing changed. Stewie felt alone, and his heart still felt empty. In a way, he wanted to give Brian another chance, but then he also wanted Brian to suffer. To feel the amount of pain that Stewie went through for most of his life. _Fuck it._ he thought to himself. _It's too late for him to just waltz in and expect everything to be okay between them. The shit has already hit the fan, and now the dog can roll in it all._  
Stewie closed his eyes. He knew he had made his decision. No matter how much he secretly wanted to stay, he was leaving tomorrow. Whether or not he would fulfill his previous intention, that would be for him to decide tomorrow. Despite the fact that he knew he would not go back on this decision, he still felt a stray tear fall down his cheek as he drifted off into sleep.

* * *

When Stewie awoke, Brian was already gone. He decided he would eat something before he left. He ended up eating some scrambled eggs and bacon that Brian had stored in the refrigerator. He also chose to take a shower as well.  
He entered the bathroom and shed himself of his clothes, which were quite dirty from the day before when he was walking. He stepped into the shower and turned the water on. As the warm water fell onto his face, he relaxed his body. It felt so good to be in the shower again. Even though it had only been two days, it felt as if it had been years since he had last felt clean.  
He exited the shower, and put on a fresh pair of clothes. He looked at himself in the mirror and briefly, he was reminded of himself as a toddler. He was wearing a yellow shirt with bright red skinny jeans. He was surprised he never took the time to notice this before. He gave himself a slight smile and exited the bathroom.  
He did a small personal tour around the apartment, briefly opening drawers and peeking inside. Usually, he wouldn't be so curious, but deep down, he felt like he deserved an explanation for why Brian seemed like he was over him. He continued looking around the house before he made his way into Brian's bedroom. As he opened the door and peered inside, he couldn't help but feel a small sense if nostalgia.  
The room was one-hundred percent Brian. Queen size bed with a blue comforter on it. The mostly plain walls were painted blue as well, with various framed newspaper clippings. Undoubtedly his own work. Off to the right was a small desk with a desktop computer sitting on top of it. Stewie assumed that if there was any explanation, it would be in there. _He probably found some bimbo and stopped wanting me a long time ago._**  
**He began opening the drawers one by one, finding only random papers and office supplies. He attempted to open the last drawer, but realized it was locked, _Damn._ He thought for a moment as to where Brian would store his key. He stood there for a good five minutes thinking before he glanced at a picture he did not notice on the wall. It was of Brian as a dog, sitting in front of the Griffin house.  
Stewie carefully lifted the picture off of the wall and smiled upon the sight. Just seeing Brian as a dog made Stewie nostalgic. He did miss all of the good times he and Brian shared when he was young. Stewie sighed and started to put the picture back on the wall, he paused, however, when he noticed something on it in his peripheral vision. He flipped the picture over, and on the back of the frame was a key held on by a single strip of tape.  
Feeling victorious, Stewie plucked the key from it's resting place and slid it into the drawer. To his pleasure, it unlocked. He slid the drawer open, and peered inside. The compartment was full of papers. All of which Stewie would have ignored had he not seen the red collar sitting on top of them all. He picked up the old memorable item and stared at it. Memories swimming through his mind, he momentarily placed it against his chest, then laid it on top of the desk.  
He began to rummage through the mess in the drawer. He found various pictures of him and Brian inside. Stewie was utterly shocked to find these. He expected to find pictures of Brian and some girl, or dick pics, or something among those lines. Instead, he was finding pictures of _them_. He quickly found hope as he continued to go through Brian's personal belongings. Eventually, he found a letter. He opened it to find his own name at the top, scribbled in Brian's mediocre handwriting. Interested, Stewie began to read.

_**Dear Stewie,**_

_**I've missed you so much, kid. You have no idea all of the pain I've been going through, living a life without you. It seems so unreal right now. I hope you're doing okay. Please don't take this too hard, kid. I will see you again, I promise; and when I do, no one will be able to keep us apart. I just hope you'll still want me when that day comes. Anyway, enough of this mushy shit. I'll let you in on what's been going on in my life. I've found a decent apartment here in New York City. Yup, I'm in New York. I'll have to take you here, someday, Stewie. It's marvelous. I think you'd love it here. Right now, I'm working at a small casino. Not something I imagined myself doing, but it pays the bills. I seriously hope you're doing okay, Stewie. I do miss you kid, and I wish you were right here with me. I know what you're going through right now, and trust me, I feel the same way. I just hope you're okay. I wish I could hear back from you, but I doubt that's possible right now, not with Lois watching. Don't take any chances, kid. When I get the chance, I'll write you again. Just make sure you check the mail before anyone else. Anyways, I love you, Stewie. More than you'll ever know.**_

_**Yours,  
Brian**_

Stewie's hands shook as he finished reading the heartfelt letter. _So he didn't give up on me right away, then. I wonder why he never sent this.  
_ He searched for more letter and he came up with two more. He looked the dates and decided to read the older one first.

_**Dear Stewie,**_

_**I don't even know why I'm writing this. I'm probably going to chicken out like I did two years ago. I hope you're doing okay, kid. Just want to let you know that I still love you and I still miss you every day. I'll admit, I've had a few dates since we last seen each other, but none have lasted more than a day or two. They just can't take your place. In a way, I hate that, due to the fact that I am just destined to see your face everywhere I go. I can't go for one fucking day without thinking about you. I can't even try to look for a relationship, because with every girl I'm with, I imagine it's you. It's left me dealing with depression for all this time. Two years, and I can't get over you. Yes, Stewie, in a small way, I want to get over you for now. Just to ease the pain, just to keep myself from feeling numb to everyone around me. Goddamn it. Now, I'm crying. See what you do to me? Seriously, though. I know, I won't send this, and I hate myself for it. I know you are wanting to hear from me, Stewie. I wish I could work up the guts to take a chance and see if it could reach you before Lois. The last thing I need is her tracking me down or calling the cops and getting me for child molestation. I just need to keep my distance right now. I still intend to keep that promise, Stewie. You'll be hearing from me on your eighteenth birthday. Then we can finally be together, and won't have to worry about being separated ever again. Jesus Christ, I feel like some obsessive ex-girlfriend right now. I've become the very thing I hate. lol. Well that's one good reason why I'm not sending this. I love you, Stewie. More than you'll ever know. Take care of yourself.**_

_**Yours,**_

_**Brian**___

Stewie felt a knot inside his stomach as he struggled to fight tears from emerging from his eyes. He quickly opened the last letter. He took note of the date as he took a deep breath to attempt to compose himself as he began reading again.

_**5/20/2017**_

_**Dear Stewie,**_

_**Seventeen years. My god. Seventeen years. It's felt like an eternity. I can't help but wonder what you look like now. I can't even imagine, being as the last time I saw you, you were an infant. You know, I haven't aged a day. Your machine fully worked, kid. Now I only have two months until my first birthday in seventeen years. I'm dreading it. I-**_

_**(**_The rest of that paragraph was scribbled out and Stewie couldn't make out the words. He continued onto the next paragraph)

_**I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Stewie. I meant to call you. I did. I spent all this time waiting for that moment, and I chickened out. I mean, how would you even react? You might have forgotten about today. Hell you might have forgotten about me entirely. Besides, what if Lois answered. I still don't think I could bear another salvo of her protective mother instincts. This doesn't mean I don't love you, Stewie. I do. Even after all this time, I still haven't forgotten about you. I have learned to deal with it over time, but still when I lay my head down, I can't help but wish you were here with me, sharing a life together like we always dreamed. Now I just don't think that will ever happen. I don't know how you could ever want me after this, and I don't blame you. I think it's time I start to try and move on. It just seems hopeless anymore. How could I ever get to you? How can I tell you where I am? Not to mention, I doubt you'd come in the first place. I'm going to try and move on, as I'm sure you did the same years ago. I hope you have a great life, kid. When you were just a baby, you were smarter than anyone I had ever known. You were brilliant. I can't even imagine how you are now. Even though we used to despise each other, I knew you were special the moment I laid eyes on you. You can be anything you want, Stewie, as long as you have the motivation to do it. Who knows, maybe one day, I'll find your face on TV as some big CEO of an international business. Either that, a terrorist. (Joke). Banters aside, I will always love you, Stewie. You've got a whole world out there waiting for you. Happy Birthday, kid.**_

_**Yours Always,  
Brian.**_

Stewie couldn't stop smiling. Even back when they were together, no one had ever said anything so nice and genuinely...from the heart. Brian still loved him. He never stopped. Though, Stewie was still a little angered by the fact that he chickened out on calling him, deep down, after the second letter, he had already forgiven Brian. How could he not? Brian basically just poured his heart out to the teen in three letters. Something he had never truly done before. Stewie sniffed as he folded the letters back up and and gently laid them back in the drawer.  
When he had locked everything back up, he laid down on his bed. After all of this, he was actually exited for Brian to come back home. Stewie silently cursed himself for thinking this. Brian was an egotistical alcoholic who took advantage of various women througout his life. Not to mention had, on several occasions, verbally abused Stewie when he was younger. Why did he have to have such a blind love for the ex-dog? Yes, Brian loved him, but why did Stewie have to love him back? Why did he have to go through almost eighteen years of torture because he couldn't have what he wanted most? How, in any way, was Brian worth all of that pain? Stewie sighed as he folded his arms under his head and stared at the ceiling; lost in thought. No matter how much he resented the fact that he was unconditionally in love with Brian, there was nothing he could do to prevent what was to come. So right then, he decided not to fight it.

* * *

**Okay. So, some important news regarding this fanfic. As of now, I am currently putting this project on hiatus, due to a busy schedule and my needing to get caught up on it. This chapter wasn't even supposed to end here, but I've found no time to finish it completely. Also, when I get the chance, I will be beginning work on a new project that I WILL NOT be releasing until it is finished. It will not be a Brewie story, but a Morby one instead (MordecaixRigby). It will be a multi chapter story, but I doubt there will be any sequels as it will be a simple side project. Once I end up making some progress on it, I will release news on it AND New Beginnings on my LiveJournal. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause some of you, but yeah, shit happens. This story WILL get finished, though, as it is my main project. If you guys have any questions, feel free to message me. **

**Thanks for understanding,  
~Dawn  
**_****_

**  
**


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